Century's skills are shown off with great production value that gives a brutally effective balance between vocals, strings, and drums. Everything adds up to a powerful sound that is continually surging forward, not unlike a wave. There are many bands whose production could be likened to being beaten by a group of people carrying very large sticks, effective, gets the job done, but in some cases lacks a certain elegance. In the case of Century, it is more like a wave, perhaps even a tidal wave at times. Everything combines in this wall that picks you up throws you back, picks you up again and the process repeats for the duration of its concise 33-minute run time. It may sound odd, but this has a metallic elegance to it.
Black Ocean opens with the monolithic "Pantheon." It begins innocently enough with a heave wall of guitars and driving drums before truly taking off on a rather brutal path. It is followed by the title track, a tune that continues the heavy but introduces some more melodic elements that help to define the Century sound. It is here that I really began to notice what Century has to offer.
The blend of brutal and melodic sounds in a tidal wave of metal continues through other standout tracks like "Drug Mule," "Equus," and "Monolith."
Bottomline. This is a band you may want to keep an eye on. Their sound is interesting and shows a group who know how to construct a song. Century has a way of growing on you, getting under you skin, and sweeping you along in just the direction they want you to. Black Ocean is a winner.
Recommended.
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